Drum carrier for spinner drum



Oct. 7, 1958 J. A. WATERS DRUM CARRIER FOR SPINNER DRUM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 26, 1954 HUEBNER, BEEHLER, WORREL a HERZIG dTTORNEW.

Oct. 7, 1958 J. A. WATERS DRUM CARRIER FOR SPINNERDRUM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 26, 1954 H UEBNER, BEEHLER, WORREL 8 HERZI G,

dTTORNEYS.

2,854,880 Patented Oct. 7, 1958 DRUM (CARRIER FOR SPINNER DRUM Joseph A. Waters, San Fernando, (Iaiif. Application November 26, 1954, Serial No. 471,385

3 Claims. (Cl. 84-421) The present invention relates to a device for rotatably carrying a musical drum and particularly a harness and mounting means for carrying a musical drum for rotation about a diameter passing through the center of the drum.

An important object of my invention is to provide a device for conveniently holding or carrying a musical drum while rotating and beating the same.

Another object is to provide a harness and swivel device for rotating a drum about a diameter passing through the center thereof while positioning the drum for beating.

A further object is to provide a comfortable and convenient harness and swivel device to be worn on ones body for rotating a bass drum about a diameter passing through the center of the drum while holding or carrying the same in a convenient position for beating.

Additional objects will become apparent from the following description of the invention.

Broadly stated, my invention comprises means for rotatably supporting a drum. These support means preferably include a harness adapted for mounting on a human body. Pivot or swivel means are attached to the harness and to a drum for rotation of the same. The drum preferably is positioned for convenient beating thereof by the wearer of the harness while the drum is in rotation. in a preferred embodiment of my invention, the drum is rotated about a diameter passing through the center thereof.

A more detailed description :of a specific embodiment of the invention is given with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a pespective view showing a drummer in phantom wearing a harness on which a drum is rotatably mounted;

Figure 2 is a side view, partly in section; showing a drum mounted on a bracket carried by a swivel fastened to a harness;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2 and showing a detail of the bracket and swivel;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 and showing a detail of the harness;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 4 and showing in detail the overlapping of braces of the harness;

Figure 6 is a detailed fragmentary view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 2 and showing a strap-accommodating slot at the ends of the braces of the harness;

Figure 7 is a detail cross-sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 4 and showing an inner liner on the brace;

Figure 8 is a side view showing the drum rotatably mounted :on the mounting means and supported on a horizontal surface; and

Figure 9 is a detail view partly in section showing a swivel mechanism equipped with electrical contact means.

The harness contains two braces 10 crossing at about their mid-portions. The crossing portions of the braces are made of half thickness so that the overall thickness at this portion of the harness is the same as that of the braces themselves. The angle of crossing and dimensions of the braces 10 are predetermined to conveniently permit the passage of the human head between the upper portions thereof as shown in Figure l. A cover plate 11 fixed to the braces 10 at the region of their crossing by any convenient means, such as by rivets 12.

A section of tubing 13 is fixed to approximately the center of plate 11, such as by welding, and preferably at a slight upward angle to the horizontal when the braces are worn as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 5. The free end of tube 13 is tapped with an. internal thread to mesh with bolt 14 which passes through the inner race of an anti-friction ball bearing assembly 16 and tightly mounts the same for rotation on the end of tube 13, as best shown in Figures 2 and 9.

Tightly fitted about the outer race of the anti-friction bearing assembly 16 is a ring 17 of a bracket 18. The four arms 21 of the bracket 18 are fixed to the ring 17 and preferably are cast as a unit with the ring 17. The ends of the arms 21 of the bracket are threaded and are clamped to the cylindrical wall 22 of the drum 23, such as by means of nuts and washers, as indicated in Figures 2 and 3. It will be seen that the drum 23 is rotatable about the inner race of the bearing assembly 16 with the outer race thereof.

Fixed to the upper portion of tube 13 is a post 24 (Figure 2), provided with a pivotally mounted arm 26 adapted for engaging ring 17 at a groove 27 (Figure 3) cut in the ring. During such engagement of the ring 17 by the arm 26, drum 23 is prevented from rotation. The drum 23 is free to rotate when the arm 26 is withdrawn from engagement with ring 17, as shown in phantom in Figure 2.

The upper ends of braces 10 are curved to fit the human shoulder comfortably as best shown in Figures 1 and 2. The upper extremity of each of the braces 10 is provided with a slot 28 (Figure 6) adapted to accommodate straps which may be crossed and brought around under the wearers arms and joined at his chest, if desired. A sleeve of sheepskin or other soft padding material can be slipped over the curved upper portion of braces 10 for the comfort of the wearer of the harness.

The lower extremities of the braces 10 are beveled and fixed to a more or less square plate 29, such as by means of rivets 31. The plate 29 preferably is provided with a slightly convex curvature to comfortably fit the abdomen of the wearer of the harness as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4. The lower extremities of the braces 10 also can be provided with vertical slots 32, as best shown in Figure 4, to accommodate a belt of the wearer of the harness for added securement to the body of the wearer.

The harness can be made of any desired materials, such as metals, plastics or laminated wood for the braces 10; metals such as aluminum or magnesium are desirable because of their light weight. The braces 10 can be made of strap metal stock cut and bent to desired shape, and tube section 13 and bolt 14 can be made of aluminum or magnesium. The bracket 18 likewise can be made of lightweight magnesium, aluminum or other metal and, as previously mentioned, can be cast as a unit.

The internal surfaces of the braces 10 preferably are lined with a soft material, such as foam rubber or other padding material to protect the wearer from sharp edges. The braces 10 also are rounded for this purpose, as shown in Figure 7.

Figures 8 and 9 show an embodiment of the invention, wherein the drum is provided with internal circular neon tubes 30. These light emitting tubes are electrically connected to brushes 33 and 34, as shown in Figure 9. The brushes are insulated from ring 17 by means of insulators 36 and 37, respectively, and are attached to ring 17 to rotate therewith by means of screws 38.

During rotation of the drum 23 and ring 17, the brushes 33 and 34 contact rings 40 and 41, respectively, fixedly mounted on insulating material attached to the outer surface of tube 13. The rings 40 and 41 are electrically connected to leads passing through insulated apertures in the walls of tube 13, as shown, and establishing electrical connection with an electric power source (not shown).

The drum, harness and rotatable mounting means, when not being worn by a drummer can conveniently be supported on a horizontal surface as shown in Figure 8 wherein the drum 23 is shown in a vertical position. The drum can be rotated and spectacularly played in this position as well as when worn to the front of the player, as shown in Figure 1, or when carried to the rear of the carrier and played by a drummer following the carrier. In the latter event, the plate 29 bears comfortably against the small of the back of the drum carrier.

Although in the specific embodiment described above, the drum is shown mounted on a swivel, it will be understood that the tube 13 can be extended to pass through the near side 22 of the drum and rotatably attached to the far side of the drum to serve as an axle about which the drum can be rotated. Also, included within the scope of the invention-is the modification of bracket 18 so that arms 21 are made arcuate to extend about halfway around the cylindrical surface of the drum 23. The extremities of such extended arms 21 can be fixed to the opposite walls of the drum and rotation about a diameter passing through the center of the drum can thus be accomplished. Alternatively, an axle (not shown) can be passed through the center of the drum, coinciding with a diameter thereof, and having its extremities rotatably journalled in the extended, arcuate arms 21 of the bracket 18 thus modified for rotation of the drum on such axle.

It is to be understood that many other variations in the design and modifications in the details and structure of the rotatable drum of my invention will occur to one skilled in'the art. The foregoing description is explanatory only, and is given primarily to illustrate a specific embodiment of my invention. Accordingly it is understood that such changes and modifications in the design, details and structure of the harness, rotatable mounting and mode of rotating the drum relative to the mounting l may be made within the scope of the appended claims Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. A drum carrier for a spinner drum, said carrier comprising, in combination, a shoulder harness comprising a pair of relatively stiff, hook-ended members, the hook ends thereof being adapted to seat upon the shoulders of a drummer, means securing the members of said pair together at a predetermined crossing angle intermediate the length of said members with the hook ends thereof extending therefrom in the same direction, a metallic plate secured to the crossing members at the crossing point on the face thereof opposite to the said hook ends, and journal bearing means of said plate freely rotatively supporting a drum thereon outwardly therefrom in forwardly spaced relationship to the said plate.

2. The combination of claim 1, said means rotatively supporting said drum comprising a tubular extension extending outwardly and at an upward angle from the approximate center of said plate, an anti-friction bearing mounted on the tubular extension adjacent the outer end thereof, and means for detachably mounting a drum on said bearing to be rotatively supported by said bearing at a predetermined distance from said plate.

3. The combination of claim 2, said bearing having a member rotatable relative to said tubular extension, abutment means on said member and a latch element mounted on said tubular extension for selective engagement with said abutment means to selectively lock said member and drum against rotation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 163,538 Orta June 5, 195] 903,682 Cumpston Nov. 10, 1908 1,130,689 Atkinson Mar. 2, 1915 1,456,242 Leedy May 22, 1923 1,789,992 Stevens Jan. 27, 1931 1,916,123 Greenleaf June 27, 1933 OTHER REFERENCES The Music Trades, page 40, I an. 24, 1925, Light and Heater for Banjos and Drums. 

